Device for Pumping and Desalination of Water at a Depth

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a device for pumping water from a depth. The device includes a pressure-containing conduit with a first end located at a depth within a body of water, an inlet portion in fluid communication with the pressure-containing conduit to allow water to enter therethrough, a float portion for maintaining the device at a desired depth, a boiler mirror for reflecting light at the pressure-containing conduit, thereby heating water contained therein, and an outlet portion for water to exit the device, preferably in the form of water vapor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The lack of water is one of the most pressing issues facing the worldtoday, and the problem is expected to grow worse in coming decades. TheUnited Nations estimates that by the year 2050 more than two billionpeople in the world will lack sufficient water. While the earth has vastquantities of water, most of this water is salt water rather than freshwater. Further, much of the fresh water supply in the world is frozen inglaciers or in the polar ice caps.

As these water supplies melt due to environmental effects such as globalwarming, the actual overall supply of fresh water on earth may decrease.Additionally, problems of pollution associated with industrializationand continued population growth negatively affects other sources offresh water. While the world's population and associated demand forfresh water will continue to increase, the supply of fresh water will,at best, remain static and, at worst, actually decrease.

Existing solutions to the problem of water shortages includesdesalination of ocean water by a variety of methods. Unfortunately,these methods tend to require large amounts of energy. Further,expensive infrastructure and specialized equipment is also oftennecessary, making methods costly not only in terms of capitalexpenditure but in terms of both land and resource use.

Reverse osmosis, for example, accounts for a large percentage of thedesalination efforts currently underway on earth. The process istypically carried out in multi-stage flash plants. Reverse osmosisplants consume a large amount of electricity in order to produce freshwater. Thus, the plants are typically located in places like the MiddleEast, where the abundance of cheap oil for production of electricitymakes such efforts more feasible than they would be elsewhere. Even inthese locations, however, the electricity production required for thedesalination plant produces significant quantities of pollution.

What is needed, therefore, is a simple, efficient, and non-pollutingdevice for providing fresh water from a salt water source. What isfurther needed is an efficient, non-polluting device for pumping waterfrom one location to another

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device for pumping water from a depth.The device includes a pressure-containing conduit with a first endlocated at a depth within a body of water, an inlet portion in fluidcommunication with the pressure-containing conduit to allow water toenter therethrough, a float portion for maintaining the device at adesired depth, a boiler mirror for reflecting light at thepressure-containing conduit, thereby heating water contained therein,and an outlet portion for water to exit the device, preferably in theform of water vapor.

In one alternate embodiment, the present device further includes afilter portion to filter water entering the device through the inletportion.

In another alternate embodiment of the device, the device includes ariser portion extending at an angle from the pressure-containingconduit, and the boiler mirror heats water within the riser portionrather than within the pressure-containing conduit.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, a riser mirror isincluded to maintain water within the device at a desired temperaturealong the entire length of the riser portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a water pumpingdevice constructed in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an alternate embodiment of a waterpumping device constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present device is adapted to provide fresh water from either a freshwater or salt water source. The device establishes a flow of such waterfrom an existing body of water, in effect ‘pumping’ the water throughthe device so that it can be distributed to a desired location. There isno pollution resulting from the use of the present device, which needonly be situated in a body of water having a sufficient depth to createthe needed pressure, and wherein the device is able to utilize anavailable energy source such as, for example, solar energy.

Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numeral represent like parts,the numeral 10 refers generally to a device for pumping and desalinationof water at a depth in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention (hereinafter referred to as ‘pumping device 10’). The term‘pump’ is used herein broadly, referring to the water-delivery functionof the present device, although as will be seen below the deviceoperates due to the effects of pressure, and in that sense the word‘pump’ can be used in its more customary sense. The embodiment of device10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an inlet portion 12, a pressure-containingconduit 14, a buoyant housing 16, boiler mirror 18, and outlet portion20.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.Pumping device 10 is situated in a body of water such that inlet portion12 of pumping device 10 is located at a significant depth beneathsurface 30 of the body of water. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,inlet portion 12 is nothing more than an opening in pressure-containingconduit 14, which extends at an angle upward from the point at whichinlet portion 12 is positioned. Because inlet portion 12 of pumpingdevice 10 is open, water infiltrates the device and a pressure gradientis established between the water existing in the present device at alower depth and that existing at a higher depth. The present device isable to exploit this pressure difference in order to pump water to adesired location.

A buoyant housing 16 is attached to pressure-containing conduit 14 toprovide buoyancy to pump device 10 and to maintain the device at adesired depth within a body of water. Buoyant housing 16 may be fixedlyor removably attached to pressure-containing conduit 14 by any suitablemethod. In the embodiment of pumping device 10 shown in FIG. 1, buoyanthousing 16 is present as a structural trough that floats a body ofwater, thereby providing buoyancy to the present device. It iscontemplated, however, that any suitable structure may be utilized inorder to provide buoyancy to the present device, and that the structureused to provide such buoyancy need not be a housing in the sense that itcontains other components of the present invention, but may simplyinclude a float portion for providing the needed buoyancy to pumpingdevice 10.

Boiler mirror 18 is shown in FIG. 1 as being situated along an interiorsurface of buoyant housing 16. Boiler mirror 18 is positioned such thatsolar energy 32 striking boiler mirror 18 is reflected toward a portionof pressure-containing conduit 14, thereby heating water containedwithin pressure-containing conduit 14. Boiler mirror 18 may be fixedlyattached to a surface of buoyant housing 16, or may be suspended withinbuoyant housing 16 by an appropriate method (it is contemplated that anymethod of affixing boiler mirror 18 to buoyant housing 16 will bewell-known to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading thisdisclosure). Alternatively, it is contemplated that an interior surfaceof buoyant housing 16 itself may be suitably reflective and serve as aboiler mirror 18. In addition, although a single boiler mirror 18 isshown in the drawing, it is contemplated that any suitable number ofindividual boiler mirrors 18 may be utilized.

In order for water within pressure-containing conduit 14 to be properlyheated by the action of boiler mirror 18, it is contemplated thatpressure-containing conduit 14 is preferably constructed from a materialhaving a high thermal conductivity. Examples of materials with highthermal conductivities include, but are not limited to, copper, silver,gold, aluminum, beryllium, and tungsten. Further, carbon structures suchas Buckytubes tend to have a high thermal conductivity. It is furthercontemplated that pressure-containing conduit 14 may be constructed ofmore than one material, present in layers or in other configurations, toaid in the transfer of heat from boiler mirror 18 to water containedwithin pressure-containing conduit 18. Further, portions ofpressure-containing conduit 14 not being heated by boiler mirror 18 maybe constructed from insulating materials such that loss of heat throughpressure-containing conduit 14 is minimized.

Once water within pressure-containing conduit 14 is heated to theappropriate temperature by the action of boiler mirror 18, the waterchanges state and becomes water vapor (steam). This steam exits pumpingdevice 10 via outlet portion 20, and from there is directed to a desiredlocation. At or en route to the desired location, the water vapor ispreferably condensed back into liquid water, whereupon it may be used asdrinking water or for any other suitable purposes. Other suitable usesof this purified water are described in greater detail below.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, buoyant housing 16 preventssubstantial amounts of water from accumulating around the portion ofpressure-containing conduit 14 passing over boiler mirror 18. It iscontemplated, however, that the present device may function even withwater accumulated around the portion of pressure-containing conduit 14passing over boiler mirror 18, so long as the level of water accumulatedis sufficiently shallow to allow at least some of solar energy 32traveling through the water to impact boiler mirror 18 and, byreflection, heat the appropriate portion of pressure-containing conduit14.

FIG. 2 provides a schematic illustration of one alternative embodimentof a pumping device 100 constructed in accordance with the teachings ofthe present invention. Pumping device 100 includes structural andfunctional similarities to pumping device 10, such as, for example,inlet portion 112, pressure-containing conduit 114, buoyant housing 116,boiler mirror 118, and outlet portion 120. Also provided are filterportion 122, riser 124, and riser mirror 126.

The components of pumping device 100 that have analogous components inpumping device 10 operate substantially as described above with respectto pumping device 10. In other words, inlet portion 112,pressure-containing conduit 114, buoyant housing 116, boiler mirror 118,and outlet portion 120, all operate substantially as described above.These will only be described with respect to pumping device 100 as theyrelate to the additional components of the present device included inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

Filter portion 122 is preferably attached to inlet portion 112 such thatwater must past through filter portion 122 prior to passing into inletportion 112. It is preferred that filter portion 122 be adapted tosubstantially prevent marine life from entering pumping device 100, andthat it does so in a way that is not harmful to the marine life. Filterportion 122 may be adapted to fulfill a number of goals. For example,filter portion 122 may be adapted to filter a portion of the saltcontent from water entering pumping device 100. Further, filter portion122 may be adapted to filter debris from water entering pumping device100 so that the debris does not obstruct the flow of water throughpumping device 100 or cause other problems by moving into pumping device100. As mentioned above, filter portion 100 may be adapted to keepmarine life from pumping device 100. It is contemplated that any givenfilter portion 100 may be adapted to fulfill any or all of these goals.It is further contemplated that methods and structures for accomplishingsuch filtration are known in the art, and that one of ordinary skill inthe art will be able to identify a suitable filter portion 100 uponreading this disclosure.

Pumping device 100 also includes, attached to pressure-containingconduit 114, a riser portion 124 that extends away frompressure-containing conduit 114 at an angle. In this embodiment of thepresent device, pressure-containing conduit 114 preferably extends at anangle roughly perpendicular to and away from the surface 130 of a bodyof water in which pumping device 100 is located. Riser portion 124 thenextends from pressure-containing conduit 114 at an angle and in adirection toward surface 130 of the body of water. This allows for asubstantial pressure build-up within pressure-containing conduit 114that can be used to pump water along riser portion 124, where it can beheated and released from pumping device 100 in the form of steam. Thisrelease of water within the device in the form of steam furtherfacilitates movement of water under pressure through the device

Pumping device 100 may also include a riser mirror 126 positioned alonga length of riser portion 124 not heated by boiler mirror 118 in orderto maintain a high temperature along that length of riser portion 124.In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, for example,riser mirror 126 is positioned near an outlet portion 120 of riserportion 124. Although a single riser mirror 126 is shown in the drawing,it is contemplated that any suitable number of riser mirrors 126 may beemployed.

Thus an exemplary embodiment of pumping device 100 operates as follows:water enters pumping device 100 through filter portion 122, whereuponthe water passes through an inlet portion 112 into pressure-containingconduit 114. A pressure head is created within pressure-containingconduit 114 due to the difference in depth between inlet portion 112 andan opposing end of pressure-containing conduit 100. This pressure headforces water into riser portion 124 and causes water to move along alength thereof. Once within riser portion 124, the water is heated bythe reflection of sunlight onto riser portion 124 via boiler mirror 118.The heat causes the water to vaporize and maintain a vapor state,whereupon it rises through the remaining length of riser portion 124 andexits pumping device 100 at outlet portion 120. Riser mirror 126 ensuresthat the water remains in a vapor state when passing through thatportion of riser portion 124.

The embodiments of the device described above, as well as otherembodiments of the present invention utilizing the principles describedherein, may be employed for a variety of purposes. For example, thepresent invention may be used to substantially desalinate water.Desalination occurs to an extent when the water within either riserportion 124 or pressure-containing conduit 14 or 114 is transformed intowater vapor, which then exits the device. Condensation of this vaporproduces water with a lesser salt content than prior to vaporization.Filter portions 122 may be utilized to reduce the salt content of thewater prior to the water entering the present device, resulting in anend product of water with an even lower salt content (in fact virtuallyall of the salt may be removed, resulting in fresh water). Depending onthe degree of salinity in the final product, the water produced may beused for irrigation, animal drinking water, human drinking water,manufacturing processes, or any other suitable use.

The present invention may also be utilized simply to transport waterfrom one location to another without the need for inefficient electricalpumps. Once water exits the present device in the form of vapor, it canbe condensed back into liquid water and directed to any desired locationthrough, for example, a network of pipes. Alternatively, the water canbe directed along a pipe network in vapor form and then condensed intoliquid water once it reaches a desired location.

As water production via the present device increases along shorelines,the present device may be utilized to move water further inland, therebyeffectively redistributing a portion of the available water on theplanet. This water can be stored, for example, in open-air lakes orreservoirs, thereby decreasing the aridity of the surrounding area. Thistransfer of water can also be used to mitigate rising sea levels.

The present device may also be used to increase the local humidity inthe area surrounding the device. Water vapor exiting the device may, forexample, be directed into the atmosphere. In cold regions, this watervapor, in sufficient amounts, can lead to increased snowfall, which can,if present on a sufficiently large scale, affect the environment.Increased snow-cover, for example, can increase the reflectivity of agiven region of the planet, thereby attenuating warming in the region(such as around the earth's poles).

Another use of the present device is to transport masses of water from alower elevation to a higher elevation. Once at a higher elevation, thewater may be used by a variety of hydroelectric devices that rely on theeffect of gravity on a mass of water at an elevation in order to productelectricity. The present device can be employed to maintain a supply ofwater at an elevation, transporting that water from a lower elevationand utilizing solar power to provide the energy for transporting thewater.

The present device may also be utilized to produce electricity directly.A steam turbine, for example, can be employed at or near outlet portion20 or 120 of the present device. As steam passes from the present devicethrough the steam turbine, electricity is produced. In such anembodiment of the present invention, the steam can be collected andcondensed into liquid water after passing through the turbine.

Finally, the present device can be employed to maintain or replenishexisting fresh water supplies, such as in areas where dwindling freshwater has endangered fresh water animal species. Using the presentdevice, water from a salt water source such as an ocean or sea can beeffectively desalinated and delivered to an existing fresh waterreservoir.

The foregoing description is exemplary and is provided in order toillustrate and clarify the present invention. It is contemplated thatvarious modifications to the present device will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, and that suchmodifications remain within the scope of the present invention. Theforegoing description is not to be interpreted as limiting the scope ofthe present invention, which scope is defined by the claims that follow.

1. A device for pumping water from a depth, the device comprising: apressure-containing conduit having a first end located at a depth withina body of water; an inlet portion in fluid communication with saidpressure-containing conduit and located at said first end thereof; afloat portion attached to said pressure-containing conduit, said floatportion maintaining said device at a desired depth; a boiler mirror inoptical communication with said pressure-containing conduit forreflecting light toward said pressure-containing conduit; and an outletportion in fluid communication with said pressure-containing conduit andlocated at a second end thereof; wherein water entering said devicethrough said inlet portion travels through said pressure-containingconduit due to pressure contained therein, and further wherein saidwater exits said device through said outlet portion.
 2. The deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein said boiler mirror heats the water withinsaid pressure-containing conduit to a temperature sufficient to vaporizesaid water, and further wherein said water exits said device in the formof water vapor.
 3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising afilter portion attached to said pressure-containing conduit at saidfirst end, wherein water entering said device passes through said filterportion prior to passing through said inlet portion.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein said float portion is a buoyant housing. 5.A device A device for pumping water from a depth, the device comprising:a pressure-containing conduit having a first end located at a depthwithin a body of water; an inlet portion in fluid communication withsaid pressure-containing conduit and located at said first end thereof;a riser portion having a first end in fluid communication with saidpressure-containing conduit and extending at an angle away therefrom; abuoyant housing attached to said pressure-containing conduit, said floatportion maintaining said device at a desired depth; a boiler mirror inoptical communication with said riser portion for reflecting lighttoward said pressure-containing conduit; and an outlet portion in fluidcommunication with said riser portion and located at a second endthereof; wherein water entering said device through said inlet portiontravels through said pressure-containing conduit due to pressurecontained therein, and further travels from said pressure-containingconduit into said riser portion, whereupon said water is heated by saidboiler mirror, and further wherein said water exits said device throughsaid outlet portion.
 6. The device according to claim 5 furthercomprising a filter portion attached to said pressure-containing conduitat said first end, wherein water entering said device passes throughsaid filter portion prior to passing through said inlet portion.
 7. Thedevice according to claim 5 wherein said boiler mirror heats the waterwithin said riser portion to a temperature sufficient to vaporize saidwater, and further wherein said water exits said device in the form ofwater vapor.
 8. The device according to claim 5 further comprising ariser mirror, said riser mirror in optical communication with at least aportion of said riser portion in substantial proximity to said outletportion, wherein said riser mirror reflects sufficient light to saidriser portion to maintain water therein in a vapor form.